A Friend in Need
by Blair Rocket
Summary: A six-year-old fic! Talk about a blast from the past... The Crew of the Christa land on a planet to refuel, and... Yeah.


An Introduction, of Sorts  
  
Greetings, Casers. Well. It warms my heart to see that there is still enough Caser love out there to make room for, (at the exact moment as I type this) 92 Space Cases fan fics. Perhaps we'll hit 100. As for this story, I wrote it, in. Well, let's see. It would be '97, wouldn't it. Wow. That's an entire six years ago. Hard to believe. But I digress. I wrote this six years ago. Needless to say, my writing has improved since then. However. When I pulled this story out of my drawer, I thought it to be so quaint, that I wouldn't allow myself to re-write it. As much as I'd like to. Yes, there is an OC in this story. And no, she's not very good. In fact, the worst parts of this fic happen when ever she opens her mouth. I literally cringe when I read parts of this. However. Other parts of it really actually strike me as dialogue as it might have been for the show. And for that reason, I left it be. Well. Not entirely, I did spell check (I am dyslexic, people, and believe me, six years ago, I was worse than I am now .). Oh, and finally, this was written in script format. Something I don't write in any more. Rather interesting, I think. I also titled it before I realized that there was an eppy of the same title. So forgive, if you will.  
  
Enjoy. Critiques are welcome. Thanks much. Blair Rocket  
  
A Friend in Need  
  
[The crew of the Christa are all in the command post, practicing different maneuvers and commands. Then, all of a sudden, Thelma looks up from what she is doing, and walks over to Commander Goddard.]  
  
Thelma: Commander, I just got a message that our fuel supply is running dangerously low. We will need to find an alternative fuel supply, or replenish the one we already have within the next two days.  
  
Commander Goddard: What will happen if we don't?  
  
Thelma: [smiling] We will become stranded in space.  
  
Bova: Great. This is just one thing after another, isn't it. How are we supposed to find another supply of fuel?!  
  
Harlan Band: We could ask Thelma to do a scan of all the nearby planets within our fuel supplies reach, and see if any of them could have an alternative fuel source on them.  
  
Rosie Iannie: What a good idea, Harlan! We would also get a chance to get out of the Christa, and explore a new planet. Sounds like fun!  
  
Suzee: I don't know. The last time we landed on a planet, we were there for a while. I'm not sure I want to go through that again.  
  
Ms Davenport: It sounds much too dangerous!  
  
Radu: What do you think, Commander? Do we do it, or is it too dangerous?  
  
Commander Goddard: Thelma!  
  
Thelma: [in Commanders face] Yes?  
  
Commander Goddard: Yeesh! Don't' do that! [Sighs] Thelma, reroute all extra power into scanners, and scan near by planets for alternative fuel sources.  
  
Ms Davenport: Commander, I must say that I feel strongly against this idea! What would happen if the planet's natives were, of for say, hostile? What would we do then?!  
  
Thelma: I have located the nearest planet with the recommendations. [Thelma pulls out a 'map' type thing from her mouth, and hands it to Commander Goddard]  
  
Commander Goddard: Mr. Band, set course for Y axis 49, X axis 178. We're going to get some fuel.  
  
[Do introduction. When the introduction is finished, we see an outside view of the Christa, and then move to an inside view. The entire crew is still in the Command Post. The Christa is 'parked' above a planet, which they a view of on the screen.]  
  
Harlan Band: Is the landing course almost ready yet, Radu? We're wasting fuel!  
  
Suzee: No, we aren't, Harlan. I shut down the engines while we wait, to save fuel.  
  
[Harlan Band looks dejected, but still is impatient.]  
  
Radu: I got it! If we circle around to the other side of the planet, the weather is more favorable, we'll be closer to the supply, and there's a great landing spot.  
  
Bova: Oh gee, Radu? Why did you bother with a landing spot? It was only the thing we were supposed to be looking for.  
  
Commander Goddard: Alright, team, get ready for landing. Ms Davenport? Try not to faint.  
  
Mss Davenport: [Put out] Well!  
  
Harlan: Here we go.  
  
[From here until the ship lands, we see an outside view of the ship landing. The landing site is a flat plane, next to a forest, very dense, and more like an ever green forest than a jungle. Harlan Band lands the ship directly on the seam where the forest starts, and the plane ends. There is a mountain range in the background, and a lake off in the distance, surrounded by willow type trees.]  
  
Rosie Ianni: Wow, Radu. You picked a great spot. It's nice here.  
  
Radu: Thanks, Ros-  
  
Harlan Band: [Interrupting] Hey! Don't I get any credit for landing the ship?!  
  
Suzee: Sure, Harlan. Great job.  
  
Bova: Yeah. Lots better than your last landing. Though with our luck, the forest is full of poison spitting creatures, that want to eat our eyes.  
  
Ms Davenport: Oh my! Commander? Maybe we should, uh, you know, set up a fence to protect ourselves?  
  
Commander Goddard: Good idea, T.J.! Harlan, Radu, why don't you help me set up the electronic field. Bova, Rosie, Suzee? You go into the forest and see what the flora and fauna is like. Maybe find an easy route to the power.  
  
Ms Davenport: Ah, Commander, don't you think that it is, ah, well, rather dangerous to send the students out into the forest by themselves?  
  
Commander Goddard: Alright then. I suppose you won't mind going with them, then?  
  
Ms Davenport: Oh, well, I thought Thelma could.  
  
Radu: [Voice coming from off the screen] Commander! I have the fence equipment. Where do you want it?  
  
Commander Goddard: You'll be fine.  
  
Suzee: Coming, Ms Davenport?  
  
Ms Davenport: Oh, I suppose.  
  
Bova: You know, Commander Goddard wouldn't let us stay and help because he wanted us out of the way. He probably didn't think we were strong enough.  
  
Rosie Ianni: Oh, Bova. Think of it this way: We get to look at all the beautiful flowers. [Upon the word 'flowers,' Rosie Ianni leans over and picks a bright green flower.] See? Here, Suzee.  
  
Suzee: Thanks, Rosie [Suzee attaches the flower in her hair] How do I look, Ms Davenport?  
  
Ms Davenport: Oh, very nice, Suzee, very nice!  
  
[Ms Davenport, Suzee and Rosie Ianni all cluster together, and start talking. Bova begins to fall behind, walking slower than the rest of the group.]  
  
Bova: Girls! [All of a sudden, Bova shudders. He looks around, nervously, and then runs to catch up with Rosie Ianni, Suzee and Ms Davenport] Ah, wait up! Did you guys feel that?  
  
Rosie Ianni: What?  
  
Bova: I thought I felt somebody watching us.  
  
Ms Davenport: Oh my!  
  
Suzee: Oh, don't worry! It was probably just a bird, or something.  
  
Bova: No! I swear, somebody is following us!  
  
Suzee: Oh, Bova! Stop being paranoid! [She leans over and in Bovas ear, she whispers] You're going to make Ms Davenport faint!  
  
Bovay: [Put out and angry] Fine! Be that way! But if soemthign eats us, I'm going to be very cranky.  
  
[All of a sudden, out of what seams no where]  
  
Kay:[A strange voice that neither Ms Davenport, Rosei Ianni, Suzee or Bova has ever heard, starts out as a chuckle, and ends up in a roar] Heee heee hee hee, Ha ha ha hahaha, Haw Haw Haw! [ect., ect.,.]  
  
[Blackout, for commercial break. When the show returns, Ms Davenport, Rosie Ianni, Bova and Suzee are running through the forest, back in the direction of the Christa]  
  
Ms Davenport: Aowwwwwwww!  
  
Bova: Out of the way! Ahhhh!  
  
Suzee: Ohhhhhh! Move, move, move!  
  
Rosie Iannie: Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!  
  
[They all continue to scream and yell such things, until they reach the Christa. Before they reach the Christa, there is a shot of Commander Goddard, Radu, Harlan Band, and Thelma working on putting up the electric fence]  
  
Radu: Do you hear that?  
  
Harlan Band: What do you think?  
  
Radu: It sounds like Ms Davenport, Bova, Suzee and Rosie!  
  
Commander Goddard: Well, what are they saying, Mr. Radu?  
  
Radu: Nothing.  
  
Harlan Band: Then how did you hear them?  
  
Radu: They aren't saying anything, but they are screaming. It sounds like they're in trouble.  
  
Commander Goddard: Come on. We've got to help them.  
  
[Commander Goddard runs toward the forest, followed closely by Harlan Band, and Radu. Thelma continues to work on setting up the fence.]  
  
Thelma: There! [Flips a switch] Now that the fence is working, we don't have to worry about any bad, unwelcome visitors!  
  
[The electronic fence powers up, and turns on, just as Commander Goddard, Radu, and Harlan Band reach it, and they all crash into it, and fall into a pile. At the same time, Ms Davenport, Suzee, Bova, and Rosie Ianni all run out of the forest, and then crash into the fence, and fall into a pile.]  
  
Commander Goddard: Ooooffffff!  
  
Harlan Band: Owwww! Get your foot out of my face!  
  
Radu: Wohhhhhhh!  
  
Ms Davenport: Aowwwwwwwwww- OW!  
  
Bova: Ahhhhh- Offff!  
  
Rosie Ianni: Eeeeeeeeeeee- oh! Owwwwwww!  
  
[All of them continue groan and say such things, until they manage to sit up.]  
  
Bova: Let us it! [This is said as one word] Let-us-in-let-us-in-let-us-in- let-us-in-let-us-in!!!  
  
Ms Davenport: Oh, open this blasted fence!  
  
Suzee: [Realizing what has happened] Thelma! Open the fence!  
  
Thelma: Oh. All right. [Flips a switch]  
  
[The fence powers down, and Ms Davenport, Bova, Rosie Ianni, and Suzee all run inside the fence.]  
  
Bova: Now close it.  
  
Radu: Huh?  
  
Ms Davenport: NOW!  
  
Radu: Ok, ok! Don't get upset!  
  
[The fence is closed]  
  
Harlan Band: Are you ok?  
  
Radu: What was that bout?  
  
Suzee: Do you think we're safe?  
  
Rosie Ianni: I sure am glad that we're inside here, now, and safe!  
  
Bova: It'll probably just climb over the fence, and get us anyway.  
  
Ms Davenport: I knew that this was a bad idea. I just knew it!  
  
[Harlan Band, Rosie Ianni, Radu, Bova, Ms Daveport, and Suzee all continue to babble such phrases as the ones above. Commander Goddard puts his hands over his ears]  
  
Commander Goddard: Everybody quiet! Now, Ms Davnport, Suzee, Rosie, Bova? What's this all about?  
  
Ms Davenport: There is a ferocious monster out in those woods! It almost ate us!  
  
Bova: What did I tell you? Huh? What?! I told you there was something there, but ohhhh no! Never listen to Bova!  
  
Suzee: Bova- [Suzee is cut off]  
  
Rosie Ianni: We didn't know that it was going to eat us. Maybe it was a nice, uh, thing.  
  
Ms Davenport: I told you that this would happen!  
  
Commander Goddard: Ok, team. We might as well try to get it, before it gets us. We're going out there. Bova, you go with Harlan. Ms Davenport, you're with Rosie. Suzee, you go with me, and Radu, you go with Thelma.  
  
Ms Davenport: Commander, I- [Commaner Goddard signals with his hand for her to be quiet]  
  
Commander Goddard: We're going to have to go back into those woods sooner or later, to get the energy supply. I think it would be safer if we had this animal, er, under control.  
  
Ms Davenport: Well, alright. But I shan't like it.  
  
[The crew of the Christa leave the camp site, turning on the shield after they have left. They split up and go in different directions. We see different shots of the crew looking for the creature. The last shot is of Bova and Harlan Band]  
  
Harlan Band man. This is useless. And why did the Commander have to pare me up with you?  
  
Bova: Thanks.  
  
Harland Band: Oh. Sorry, Bova. It's just that I would prefer being pared up with somebody who is a better fighter. [He turns around] Whoa. Did you see that?  
  
Bova: What?  
  
Harlan Band: I think I just saw the beast. [Harlan Band advances into a brush thicket]  
  
Bova: Sigh  
  
[There is then a short of the groups that contain Commander Goddard, Suzee, Radu and Thelma. They have all returned to the ship, their search completed. Looking through the electronic fence, they see that somebody, or something has been in their camp. Tools and other equipment have been turned over, ect.]  
  
Radu: Whoa.  
  
Commander Goddard: Thelma, open the fence.  
  
Thelma: All right.  
  
Suzee: We did close it, right?  
  
Thelma: My sensors indicate so. The gate is now open.  
  
Radu: If we did close the fence, what happened here?  
  
Thelma: My sensors are scanning the area. A single pare of foot prints start here, [Thelma points to an area on the ground, directly next to the fence] and lead all around the camp site.  
  
Commander Goddard: Did it take anything?  
  
Thelma: No.  
  
Suzee: Did the creature go into the ship?  
  
Thelma: I am scanning. no.  
  
Commander Goddard: Great. I just hope that Ms Davenport, Rosie, Bova and Harlan's searches find more than ours.  
  
[The camera shot goes back to Bova and Harlan Band. Harlan Band is still in the bushes, and Bova is examining an insect of some sort, when he trips and lands face down on the ground. As soon as he lifts his head, the creature drops from an over head branch to the ground in front of Bova]  
  
Bova: Whoa!  
  
[The creature looks down at Bova. He is so startled, that he sends enough electricity to knock the creature out. The yells at first, and then faints]  
  
Kay: Ahhhhhh-unnnnn.  
  
Harland Band: Bova! Are you ok? Whoa!  
  
Bova: Yeah. And you wanted somebody else on your team.  
  
[Bova stands up, and wipes the dirt off his clothing. He looks down at the creature. The creature is obviously female. She is wearing an red, yellow and orange striped outfit, which contains pants, a shirt, and an arm band. She is wearing leather shoes, and there is a leather band rapped around like a ponytail holder on the top of her head, from which long, slightly frizzy hair sprouts. There are two small braids hanging in front of her two cat-like ears, and three beads of the same colors as her outfit on the braids. Her entire look is like that of a cat. She has a layer of light gray fur all over her body, and a small, triangular nose. Bova and Harlan Band tie up the creature with the rope that they had been carrying. They then pick her up as best as they can, and carry her back to camp. Before they get there, there is a new shot of the camp. Ms Davenport and Rosie Ianni are back]  
  
Ms Davenport: Well, this makes me feel safe.  
  
Rosie Ianni: I just don't understand it. How did this happen?  
  
Suzee: Maybe the creatures of this planet can pass through electric fences without getting ripped apart.  
  
[Bova dn Harland Band come into view]  
  
Ms Davenport: Still- Bova! Harlan! You're back! What on Earth are you carrying?!  
  
[Commander Goddard, Radu, Thelma Suzee and Rosie Ianni all allot where Ms Davenport is looking. They see Harlan Band and Bova carrying the creature. Radu looks very shocked]  
  
Suzee: What ere you carrying?  
  
Harland Band: She's the thing. At least, we think she is.  
  
[Bova and Harland Band set the creature down]  
  
Ms Davenport: How did you catch it?  
  
Harlan Band: Man! You should have been there. Bova zapped it, just as she was getting ready to pounce! It was so cool. You see, I was-  
  
[Rosie Ianni interrupts Harlan Band]  
  
Rosie Ianni: Is she ok?  
  
Bova: Yeah. I just gave her enough to knock her out. [Bova looks around] What happened here?  
  
Radu: [Staring at the creature] We think she happened.  
  
Harlan Band: Oh.  
  
Thelma: Commander: May I suggest we take her in and tie her to something more secure? I do not know weather these ropes will hold her.  
  
Commander Goddard: Good idea, Thelma.  
  
[Bova and Harlan Band pick up the creature]  
  
Raud: [Radu puts his hand on Harlan Bands shoulder] Let me.  
  
Harlan Band: Oh. Ok. Here.  
  
[Harlan Band and Bova hand the creature to Radu. He carries her to the med- lab. In the med-lab, they lie the creature on the table/chair, and die her there with some strong cable]  
  
Suzee: Look! She's coming to!  
  
[There is a camera shot from what looks like the creatures point of view. It starts out fuzzy, and gets clearer]  
  
Kay: Unnnnnnnnnn.  
  
Commadner Goddard: Who are you?  
  
Kay: What? Ohhhhh. Hurts.  
  
Rossie Ianni: Here. [Rosie Ianni puts her hands on the creatures shoulders and heats them up, and then takes her hand off the creature]  
  
Kay: Ohhhhh. Mmmmmm. Much better. Thanks. [The creature blinks her eyes a few times, and then stiffens up, like she is scared. She starts to breath faster] Oh boy.  
  
Commander Goddard: Who are you?  
  
Kay: I'm sorry. That question doesn't give me enough information to anser in a way that you would like.  
  
Commander Goddard: What?  
  
Kay: I'm sorry. That-  
  
[The creature is cut off by Radu]  
  
Radu: What's your name?  
  
Kay: Which one?  
  
Radu: Your first.  
  
Kay: Kayleen.  
  
Harlan Band: Ok, Kayleen-  
  
[Harlan Band is interrupted by Kay]  
  
Kay: Don't call me that. Call me Kay.  
  
Suzee: Kay is short for Kayleen, right?  
  
Kay: No. It's my initials. If you were to spell it correctly, it would be capital K, period, capital A, period, capital Y period.  
  
Suzee: Oh.  
  
Harlan Band: Why were you trying to attack us.  
  
Kay: [Angrily] I wasn't.  
  
Harlan Band: Oh?  
  
Ms Davenport. Then why did you scare us half to death in the forest then?  
  
Kay: Because the idea of me eating you is so stupidly silly!  
  
Suzee: Wait. If you weren't trying to eat or scare us, what do you want with us?  
  
Kay: I was trying to talk to you. I just wasn't planning on you running \away, or trying to kill me. [Kay sends an ugly look at Bova]  
  
Commander Goddard: We apologize. Would you mind telling us what you wanted to say now?  
  
Kay: I could talk better if I wasn't tied to a table.  
  
Rosie Ianni: Ok, then. Thelma, untie Kay.  
  
Thelma: Alright.  
  
Harlan Band: Wait a minute! If you didn't want to hurt us, why did you rip up our camp?  
  
Bova: Yeah! Why?  
  
Kay: Huh? I didn't rip up your camp.  
  
Harlan Band: Oh yeah? Then who did?  
  
Kay: I don't know. There are plenty of other options besides me ripping up your camp. You just haven't been on the planet long enough to know them.  
  
Harlan Band: Really. Than what are these 'reasons?'  
  
Kay: It's possible that one of the planets rare focused wind storms occurred.  
  
Suzee: Then what made the tracks?  
  
Kay: If I could look at the tracks, I could tell you. Besides. If you think that that little picket fence would keep any of this planets' creatures out, you are gravely mistaken. Sixty-four percent of this planets' creatures live in the trees. Another twenty-six percent live in bodies of liquid. The other twenty percent live on the ground, and half of them could clear that fence in a single jump! In case you haven't' noticed, there are several branches that hang in to the camp.  
  
Suzee: Oh. Well, I think we'll just leave you tied up until we know for sure.  
  
Kay: Great. How long will that take?  
  
Suzee: Providing tat you cooperate, a matter of seconds.  
  
[Suzee prepares to reach consciousness into Kay]  
  
Kay: I wouldn't do that, if I were you.  
  
[When Suzee reaches the point that she would normally go into Kay's body, Kay's eyes turn a bright red, ad Suzee's spirit bounces off Kay's eyes, and continues to bounce around the room, until if finds a body to land it. After it bounces off several walls, she lands in Radu]  
  
Suzee: Wwwwwoooooohhhhhh!  
  
Radu: Ohhh!  
  
Kay: I told you that you didn't want to do that!  
  
[When Suzee's spirit lands in Raud, he stumbles back, like he was hit. Suzee doesn't realize she is in Radu's body, until she looks at her own body though Raud's eyes. Then she automatically ejects herself back into her own body.]  
  
Suzee: [In Radu's body] What did you do that. oh!  
  
Suzee: [In her own body now] I'm so sorry! [Turns to look at Kay] What did you do that for?!  
  
Kay: I couldn't not do it. Our nation has some secrets it wants to keep secrets, so this little mechanism is built into al of my kind when we aren't yet 100. Of course it can be. Why are you looking at me like that, Bova?  
  
Bova: What kind of secrets? And how did you know my name?!  
  
Kay: Whoops! [Kay shrugs] I guess one slipped out.  
  
Commander Goddard: You mean to say that your planet has been spying on Uranus, and that you have memorized the entire population of that planet?  
  
Kay: Well, no, I wouldn't call it spying, exactly. And we don't' just supervise Uranus.  
  
Commander Goddard: What other planets do you spy on?!  
  
Kay: Well, how's this? I know that your name is Commander Seth Goddard, and that you served in the Star Dogs for about twenty years, and that you got in a fight with a space pirate named Rever, and were then tossed out of the Star Dogs for almost starting a war, and you then took a job at the Star Academy, where you met T.J. Davenport, who was the assistant principal there, and at this school, there was a class of five students, who were as follows: Harlan Band, from Earth, his father, killed in the Spung- Andromeden war, who he wants to be like, by joining the Star Dogs, but his step father has never thought that Harlan would be a good Star Dog, but loves him just as much as his mother does; Rosie Ianni, from Mercury is very optimistic, and enjoys playing with pet-type creatures, and now, I believe collects stuffed versions. Her parents, Gootar and Dilia Ianni, both doctors, and very respected; Bova, from Uranus, a pessimist, who's father is a teacher, and mother worked on the international board of advisors, before she was killed in a tragic hit and run accident. He is very ticklish, and loves to eat. Hum. There used to be one called Catalina, from Titan, Saturn's biggest moon. Catalina enjoys school, and is a whiz at electronics. Her parents were killed in an explosion, and ever since, she has felt untrusting to forming tight bonds of any type of relationship, except with a friend called, Suzee, who is next on my list. Suzee is from another dimension, and was invisible to all except Catalina because their brain waves operate on the same frequency, a very rare event. Suzee is smart, and even more of a whiz at electronics than Catalina, and in many other areas, she is extremely smart also. [Kay inhales deeply, and sighs] Happy?  
  
Ms Davenport: How come you never mentioned Radu?  
  
Kay: [Sighs again] Our country hasn't gotten as far as Andromeda on our search for, well, never you mind what we were searching for.  
  
Commander Goddard: How do you know all that.  
  
Kay: You are very nosy. Very well. If I tell you, will you let me up?  
  
Commander Goddard: Yes. I suppose.  
  
Kay: Well, for every 100 years of school, we are assigned four people to learn about. Learn their habits, and whatnot, and then, on the ninety-ninth year of school, we do reports on them. Now, let me up.  
  
Commander Goddard: You mean to say that-  
  
[Kay interrupts Commander Goddard]  
  
Kay: You prom-!  
  
[Harlan Band interrupts Kay]  
  
Harlan Band: One hundreds years of school?! How old are you?  
  
Kay: You promised!  
  
Harlan Band: Tell me how old you are, and I'll let you up!  
  
Kay: [Very angrily] You. Promised. Now that I know that I'm not getting up, I might as well let myself up!  
  
[Commander Goddard tenses up, as if ready to catch her, but Bova comes up beside Commander Goddard.]  
  
Bova: Don't listen to that junk, Commander. She couldn't break those ropes if her life depended on it.  
  
Kay: [Smiles] Really? [Upon this, Kay begins to deteriorate, into a tellamorph. She becomes sold again on the other side of the room]  
  
Radu: Woah! A tellamorph! Just like that scum Obbi!  
  
[Kay cocks her head upon the spoken word 'Obbi']  
  
Kay: That's much better. Now. I have a deal to propose. For every question I ask, you can ask one to me. How's that?  
  
Suzee: How about, for every question you ask, we get to ask two!  
  
Kay: That's not fair at all, but fine. My question is: how do you know Obbi?  
  
Commander Goddard: He worked for Rever, and a while back, they tried to take over this ship. Hum. Obbi looked something like you. Ok. For our first question, how do you know Obbi?  
  
Kay: [Sighs] He was one of my many brotehres. He was on drugs, which is why he was so ugly. He ran away a couple hundred years ago.  
  
Harlan Band: Ok, I just gotta know! How old are you?  
  
Kay: [Winces] I hate that question. Well, I'd be, hum. Let's see.[She looks at the ceiling, and counts on her fingers] I'd be.. Who's system of year counting did you want?  
  
Harlan Band: Yours.  
  
Kay: I'd be. Ah! I know! I'd be 1,400 years old! I think. Ok. My question. What happened to Catalina?  
  
Suzee: [Looks at the floor] There was an explosion on a different ship, and in order to save her life, I traded places with her.  
  
Kay: Oh. So sorry. [Kay looks like she is thinking of something bad] Hum. maybe. Oh! [Kay realizes that the others are all looking at her] N-next question.  
  
[The crew look at each other. No one can think of a question]  
  
Bova: Uhh, um, how much do you weigh?  
  
Rosie Ianni: Bova!  
  
Kay: Hee hee hee. I don't mind. Really! I weigh about 120 pounds. Now my original question! Will you give me a ride off this planet?  
  
Harlan Band: What?  
  
Kay: I need a ride off this planet.  
  
Radu: But, uh, wont' your parents miss you? And what about your friends? Don't you think you would miss your friends here on this planet?  
  
Kay: No.  
  
Harlan Band: Well, why not?  
  
Kay: For three reasons. One, I don't come from this planet. Tow, I don't have any friends. And three, my parents are dead.  
  
Bova: You mean that you don't come from this planet; That there are no others of your kind here?  
  
Kay: Yep.  
  
Bova: Then how did you get here?  
  
Kay: [Winces] That's always been a touchy subject for me. [Sighs] You see, the Spung attacked our planet, and started a war, enslaving any of us that they caught. It was horrible. After the war, there was hardly anybody left. I was a survivor, but, unfortunately, the Spung had kidnapped me from my home world, and put me on a slave ship. They then sold me to a race who's name I can't pronounce, and they made me into a garden slave, harvesting and planting crops on a plantation ship. The ship was passing through this sector. While everybody else was doing something else, I broke out of my cage, and ran to the loading dock. I got pretty scraped up from the whips and other weapons that I don't' know the name of either, but I made it to the docking bay, and sealed the door. Then I got into an escape pod, and ejected it. It eventually landed here. [Every time Kay says the word 'Spung' there is a definite distaste in her speech. You can tell she hates them]  
  
Bova: Oh. You like to talk, don't you.  
  
Kay: [Smile] No, I just like to explain things.  
  
Suzee: So let me get this straight. You want us to give you a ride to your home planet, with nothing in return? Why should we?  
  
Kay: Why are you on this planet?  
  
Suzee: Huh? We're here to get fuel. Why does that matter?  
  
Kay: I know that winter weather starts up this week, and with my help, you can find the fuel easier, and make the stay here much more pleasant. After all,, with the cold coming in tomorrow, you might be here all winter.  
  
Commander Goddard: Huh. Looks like you like to deal as much as your brother.  
  
Kay: [Grins] It's a family thing.  
  
Commander Goddard: We have to talk about it. Stay here.  
  
[The crew of the Christa goes over toa corner of the med lab to discuss weather Kay should go or stay]  
  
Harlan Band: Well, what do you guys think. I think we should let her on. She seams cool enough.  
  
Bova: I don't know. She could just be bluffing, and be a rat fink like Obbi.  
  
Ms Davenport: I tend to lean towards Bova's side of the argument. After all, as long as we don't know anything for certain, we-  
  
[Ms Davenport is interrupted by a loud chord of the notes F natural, B flat an C sharp that is blasted across the room, followed by a screech from Kay]  
  
Kay: Ahhhhhhh! Hissssssss!  
  
[The crew of the Christa all turn to see Kay with her fur on end, hissing at the wall]  
  
Rosie Ianni: Are you ok? What happened?!  
  
[Harlan Band whispers to Radu]  
  
Harlan Band: Leave it to Rosie to ask that right off the bat.  
  
Commander Goddard: [In a "I'm the one in charge" voice] What happened here?  
  
Kay: [A little scared] I-I was, ah, interested in your ships working pattern, so I went to , ah, look at the walls, and I, um, touched one of those vane looking things, and it flashed this greenish color, and made that nose. [Suddenly curious] Why'd it do that?  
  
Ms Davenport: People, we can worry about that later. Right now, we have a, uh, problem that needs solving.  
  
Thelma: Right! So let's get solving!  
  
[The crew of the Christa reassemble in a circle]  
  
Ms Davenport: Right. So as I was saying, we-  
  
[Radu interrupts Ms Davenport]  
  
Radu: Oh my-! No! Wait, wait, wait! Harlan! Do you remember back when we first boarded the Christa, and how we all put our hands on the wall, and when we did-  
  
[Radu is interrupted by Harlan Band]  
  
Harlan Band: That was when the Christa bonded with us! Are you saying.  
  
Radu: that I think the Christa might have just bonded with Kay.  
  
Commander Goddard: Well, that just doesn't make any sense! Why wouldn't the Christa bond with Ms Davenport or me after all this time, and then, all of a sudden, bond with some complete stranger?  
  
Ms Davenport: All I can say is that she wouldn't. Thelma!  
  
Thelma: Yes, Ms Davenport?  
  
Ms Davenport: What is the Christa's current count of crew members and passengers?  
  
Thelma: I am processing the information. Please wait a moment. Ah! The current count is seven crew members, and two passengers.  
  
Suzee: [Talking to Commander Goddard] Well, the passengers must be you and Ms Davenport, but there are only five crew members here. Who are the other two?  
  
Bova: Is it possible that the Christa is still counting Catalina as a crew member?  
  
Harlan Band: Yeah, but then that would mean that we still have an open space, and that would mean that.  
  
[Harlan Band trails off in speech, and the crew of the Christa all turn to look at Kay, to see that she is climbing up the wall now. Kay sees them looking at her, and smiles]  
  
Kay: Hi!  
  
Commander Goddard: Get down from there!  
  
Kay: Spoil sport. Fine. [She jumps off the wall, and lands on both feet, gracefully]  
  
Commander Goddard: Sigh.  
  
[The crew of the Christa again regroup in a circle]  
  
Radu: Look, Commander. If the ship has bonded with her, then we don't really have a choice. We've got to take her with us.  
  
Bova: Commander, I thought it was a bad idea too, but if the Christa has bonded with her, then there must be some reason that she's a crew member.  
  
Rosie Ianni: Come on, Commander! Please?  
  
Harlan Band: Give her a chance.  
  
[Harlan Band, Radu, Suzee, Rosie Ianni, and Bova all continue to plead to Commander Goddard]  
  
Commander Goddard: [To Harlan Band, Suzee, Rosie Ianni, Radu and Bova] Ok, ok! [Turns around to talk to Kay] Uhh, what skills do you have?  
  
Kay: Oh, you name it, I can probably do it. I had a diverse family. Everybody wanted to do his or her won thing, so I learned a little bit of each. I also learned lots of different trades while being a slave.  
  
Commander Goddard: Oh. Alright then, Kay, you have my permission to ride our ship.  
  
[Harlan Band whispers to Radu]  
  
Harlan Band: What's he doing?  
  
Radu: Don't' say anything. Knowing the Commander, he probably has reason enough to not tell her the whole truth.  
  
Commander Goddard: You can share a room with Suzee and Rosie. I hope we get along better, and we can forget what happened today.  
  
Kay:[Smiles] No problem. Thanks.  
  
[There is a scene change. Harlan Band, Radu, Bova, Rosie Ianni, and Suzee are all sitting in the lounge, talking about the new crew member, later on in the day]  
  
Radu: So what do you think of her?  
  
Harlan Band: Huh? Oh, Kay. Oh, she's nice. But she is so weird. Man. I'd even go as far to say that she's weirder than you!  
  
[Radu throws a pillow at Harlan Band, in a playful manner]  
  
Rosie: Well, she is nice. But she has so many secrets. We don't know anything about her.  
  
Bova: Maybe she wants it like that.  
  
Suzee: I just hope we get along. I wouldn't wan to be on her bad side with those claws!  
  
[Later that night, in the girls bunk room, where the girl crew mates of the Christa are getting ready for bed]  
  
Rosie Ianni: [To Kay] I don't know about everybody else, but I think you're really nice to help out.  
  
Kay: Thanks Rosie. It's nice of you to give me a ride home. Even if my family is dead, it'll be nice to go. That's all I want to do. Go home. Well. Good night.  
  
[The lights go out, and everybody prepares to sleep. After about a minute, Suzee gets up, and walks over to where Rosie Ianni is sleeping]  
  
Suzee: Rosie. Rosie!  
  
Rosie Ianni: What?  
  
Suzee: This may work out after all. She's not that much different than us after all.  
  
[Both Suzee and Rosie Ianni turn to look at Kay who is sleeping. Then, all of a sudden, Kay smiles in her sleep. Roll credits] 


End file.
